Suspicious Package Near Birmingham Synagogue Removed By Police

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Birmingham police on Friday determined a suspicious package found near Temple Beth-El, a Jewish synagogue located at 2179 Highland Ave., was not an explosive device, according to authorities.

Around 8:30 a.m. Friday, the director of security for a local Jewish federation notified authorities of a suspicious backpack found outside the synagogue, Birmingham police spokesman Truman Fitzgerald said in a news release.

Birmingham police and the FBI responded to the synagogue and blocked off a large area near the building as they investigated, according to AL.com. The Birmingham Police Department bomb squad removed the backpack and transported it to an off-site location, where authorities determined it did not contain an explosive device, according to Fitzgerald.

The area has since been cleared and all streets reopened, authorities said in a statement shared by WBRC.

Birmingham police are working with the FBI to investigate the case and determine whether criminal charges will be filed.